It’s summer – exams are over, the weather’s great, we’re all on holiday and there’s nothing to do except sunbathe, drink cocktails and absorb local culture. Okay, it’s raining and we may all be stuck in Harry Fairhurst dreaming of Tequila Sunrises and music festivals, but that doesn’t mean we can’t indulge in a little maxi-love.
Here’s a small selection of the best and most-beautiful maxi dresses York (and the internet) have to offer…:
The Tourist Dress
This gorgeous Whistles dress might set you back £135 but it’s totally worth it in my books. It’s empire-silhouette skirt guarantees a flattering shape and the waist-panel and belt ensures a wonderful hourglass effect.
The dress is silk with a partial-lining and can be dressed up with wedges, down with gladiator sandals, and can easily be covered up with a cardigan or scarf for you easy burners. The perfect holiday dress.
The Garden Party Dress
This Ted Baker Maxi is a beautiful addition to your wardrobe if you’re lucky enough to be looking forward to a summer of weddings, garden parties and christenings.
The colour might take a little getting used to if you’re not partial to pastel, but it’s spot-on this season and looks great with every skin-tone so there’s no excuse not to try it on! Pair with SS12’s “must-have” accessory: a woven clutch. If it’s a little over-budget for you, then try Dorothy Perkins for similar styles at a fraction of the price.
The Casual Dress
Avid followers of this blog may know I’m not ordinarily a Topshop fan, but I can’t help loving their approach to the casual maxi and – at less than £30 – it’s a steal.
The shape is perfect for wearing over a bikini or over a coloured vest for a ‘campus casual’ look, and the open back or side-slits mean you can show or hide as much as you want. If you’re truly a maxi-fan then you could wear this dress on a night out with some heeled boots, a chunky belt and leather jacket – it’s totally functional.
The All-Rounder
The motto of Butter by Nadia is “One dress. One size. Countless possibilities” and it’s easy to see why – this luxury cotton-jersey dress can be re-styled over 100 ways, making it the most versatile (and coolest) dress I’ve EVER seen.
It’s varying styles are all over youtube, it’s raved about in fashion magazines and featured in lifestyle blogs everywhere… but unfortunately you don’t get this many dresses for nothing. It’s a pricey investment for something you’ll probably have to order online, so think long and hard. A limited number of styles are sold in various UK boutiques, but you can shop the full-range on Amazon.
The Beach Dress
Beach-worthy maxis are always a nightmare, but as long as you stick to a loose, multi-layered light fabric, airy, flattering style then you should be fine. Ha. Fortunately this poppy-print River Island dress ticks all these boxes, making it the ideal seaside companion.
The multi-layered style prevents unforgiving bikini marks and the pattern and slight movement in the skirt will keep you looking super-cute when you’re not stripping off.
If you’re too pale to go out in the sun then you have two options; invest your entire student loan in a stunning Melissa Odabash kaftan from Net-a-Porter, or give up and buy a shorter style that will cover your precious porcelain shoulders. Your housemate’s prized Paul Smith interview-shirt will do.
The Show-Stopper
My final entry on this article may be a little out-of-place, but I couldn’t resist sharing it. Malene Birger’s ‘Dura’ dress is elegant and beautiful – from the panel-shaped bodice to the fishtail skirt and on-trend collar detailing it is an exceptional piece.
This dress bridges the gap between old-world glamour and modern fashion, but where would you wear it?
Re-creating the Ascot Opening Race number from My Fair Lady, obviously.
Happy procrastinating.
I was going to save up for a Thailand this summer, but dress number 2 has my name on it :) Beans on toast for the rest of the year it is then lol
Nice little piece Frances, love the Whistles dress at the top and the yellow Ted Baker, gorgeous